Accepted- now what!

[padreaming]

I've read mixed reviews on taking the time to review basic anatomy before starting pa school vs taking the time to travel etc. I've been out of undergrad for 2 years so in my case would it be more beneficial? Are there any prep books recommended? Thanks for the insight!

[gorta1ke]

Honestly, take the time to go out and travel and enjoy the time you have before starting the program. I was on the same boat as you (out of school for 2 years) and opted to not review anatomy. Most programs do a great job of easing you into the program and not overwhelming you with material, so dont feel obligated to brush up on any courses. Im finishing up my first semester right now and it hasn't been bad at all, plus anatomy will come back to you once you're in the swing of things. Hope this helps!

[JD2012]

Every student I spoke to in person, while touring the campuses after interviews all said to just relax and enjoy the time you have while you have it.

I begin in late May 2018 and plan on taking three vacations before then. Already have one booked in early December.

[JarrodKearney]

Many people say to relax but I am filled with motivation while anticipating the July start at UF. I have been reading the Johns Hopkins books "Made Ridiculously Simple". I am working my way through the acid-base electrolyte topic and plan on also tackling neuroanatomy. It all depends on your level of excitement and passion for all things medical.

I'm still in school so the taking this extracurricular material at my own pace is relaxing in a way. I have Spring semester off to study and relax. 

[lccalbert]

The sentiment from most of the people here is correct. Relax. You will learn everything you need to learn in PA school. Most people in PA school are type A personalities and want to get a jump on things. Thats fine. What i have learned is that you will not have time to spend with family and friends the way you like. 

You can review anatomy and micro but i think its more important and more conducive your mental/emotional health to enjoy the things you like to do. In the end, i think itll make you a better PA also. 

 

[SDZayas]

I've thought about this too, and I'm only just finishing undergrad. While I'm no expert, I'd say if you were to review anything, it might be only things you may have struggled with back in undergrad. Things like A&P are very visual, and may prove to be easier to get back into the swing of once you actually start your program.
 

[rev ronin]

You're going to be running a marathon, emotionally, intellectually, and socially, for about 27 months.  Are you ready to do that?  If not, you need to shore up what's going to impair you.  Studying to learn content is likely a waste of time and effort, but studying to get in the habit of studying is time well spent.  Likewise, if you're going to spend time with loved ones before you slam the door in their faces, you need to have readied them for that eventuality.

I handed in my laptop and employee ID the day before PA school orientation started.

My family survived PA school intact. I saw my first patient 4 weeks after graduation--offer 8 weeks before graduation, credentialing, PANCE, DEA, and state license all done as fast as possible. 

I prefer my way.

[M1ke10191]

I'm midway through didactic so, yeah, take a break. If you absolutely had to study something, learn how to read EKGs and maybe get some work on Xrays. I knew how to read EKGs before school from my last job but they really threw most of my class for a loop.

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[pastudentw]

My recommendation is not to try to study. I was out of undergrad for a full year and it had been 5 years since I took anatomy and physiology and I didn't pick up a single book before starting.

I would recommend you spend your time on things to basically have your life completely in order. Make sure car maintenance is done. Try to work as many hours as possible to pay off any extraneous payments or save money. Figure out your plan for health insurance while you will be a student.

You get the idea... but just try to work on any thing that will take away your focus for school or that would cause added stress. 

Other than that, enjoy your time off!

[clballin]

I would recommend taking the time off beforehand. PA school will consume your life. 

[SHU-CH]

Sort of like Rev suggested above, maybe instead of pouring over science material, read through the latest books about learning and memory theory. I would consider:

• Mindset Carol Dweck
• Make It Stick Peter Brown
• Study Without Stress Kelman and Starker

To get this far you were obviously a high-performing student. Many students are able to thrive just by memorizing and regurgitating before PA school. It may be good to have some more tools in your box for PA school because the undergrad ones can break down.

[vlandis]

I find myself in a similar situation. I will be starting June 2018. So far I've been reading blogs that PA students have written in their didactic year to help get a feel for what ill be up against and see how I can best prepare. So far my favorite blog is AP the PA. She does a great job outlining "day in the life". Good luck!

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[Anachronist]

I'm taking a mixed route. I'm continuing to volunteer part time PCE and picked up a "The Only EKG Book You'll Ever Need" that is a very good read as well as an audiobook "Memorizing Pharmacology: A Relaxed Approach" which provides a good foundation to build on (these were the only two I picked and I happen to like both a lot). I chose these two because I know I'm weak on both subjects, it isn't too much work but I am hoping will take the edge off of those two subjects when they arise. Other than that I'm trying to soak up some relaxation, visiting family and friends, and kicking my feet up a bit before, as rev ronin said, the marathon begins. 

[Endeavor]

34 minutes ago, Anachronist said:

I'm taking a mixed route. I'm continuing to volunteer part time PCE and picked up a "The Only EKG Book You'll Ever Need" that is a very good read as well as an audiobook "Memorizing Pharmacology: A Relaxed Approach" which provides a good foundation to build on (these were the only two I picked and I happen to like both a lot). I chose these two because I know I'm weak on both subjects, it isn't too much work but I am hoping will take the edge off of those two subjects when they arise. Other than that I'm trying to soak up some relaxation, visiting family and friends, and kicking my feet up a bit before, as rev ronin said, the marathon begins. 

Ha ironically I'm on the same boat but I was debating between "The Only EKG Book You'll Ever Need" and Dubin's "Rapid Interpretation of EKG's", leaning on the latter tbh. How is the pharm book, does it start with the very basics?

[boli]

Ha ironically I'm on the same boat but I was debating between "The Only EKG Book You'll Ever Need" and Dubin's "Rapid Interpretation of EKG's", leaning on the latter tbh. How is the pharm book, does it start with the very basics?

Dubin’s book is very good and will teach you the essentials of rhythm interpretation but doesn’t spend a ton of time delving into 12-lead interpretations. If you have little/no experience with ECG I would recommend Dubin’s book first.

For more advanced 12-lead stuff I enjoyed reading “ECG in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care” by Chan et al. and “12-lead ECG: the art of interpretation” by Garcia and Holtz. Both can be found on Amazon for cheap and have tons of examples. In addition, I found YouTube to be very helpful (and free)... try checking out “Amal Mattu’s ECG of the Week” or “ECG Doc” on YouTube. Those guys are great and walk you through everything and I have learned a lot from watching them.

Cheers- a fellow ECG nerd.


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[Anachronist]

I love "The Only EKG Book You'll Ever Need." It is like a whole course condensed into very relatable and practical lessons. It covers everything from theory to interpretation. I haven't read Dubin's book.

The pharm audiobook is great, the author describes it as "framework that you can build upon" and IMHO he is absolutely correct. It goes through all the major classifications and a handful of the most common medications in each, provides (sometimes hilarious) mnemonics and other memorization tools. It also provides basic physiological mechanisms. He also provides the true pharmacological word stems and lists commonly, incorrectly attributed, stems. In addition he explains how trade names came to be (which I found helpful in remembering what they are for). He mentions that "memorizing 200 "most common" medications is a staple of many medical and pharmacological programs" but that that is beyond the scope of the book and he provides 50 or 60 I believe. I already recognize much more than I use to when looking over patient's medication lists.